


Only fools fall for you

by TheTheoryOfDreaming



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, BamBam has already graduated and gone to college, F/M, Gay crisis, Hongjoong from ATEEZ is mentioned, How Do I Tag, Hyunjin is projecting his feelings on a girl, Jealousy, Jeongin is a good friend, M/M, Minho wants to make Hyunjin jealous, Movie club, Seungmin is in charge, does this classify as angst? idk, inspired by the new mv (captain obvious strikes again)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23563531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTheoryOfDreaming/pseuds/TheTheoryOfDreaming
Summary: Two guys have their eyes on Mikyoung. Or so Hyunjin thinks.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Original Female Character(s), Lee Minho | Lee Know / Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	Only fools fall for you

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by PrttyBbyBun  
> Edit 11.09.2020: cleaned sth up so THEY'RE NOW FRIENDS WITH BAMBAM

#

It wasn’t like Hyunjin _hated_ Minho because he didn’t. Minho had helped him out of so many situations, brought snacks exactly when Hyunjin needed them the most as if he had a built-in Hyunjin snack radar and was generally a good friend.

It was just that if Minho left his hand on her arm for _five more seconds_ Hyunjin would rip it off.

In that moment Felix knocked Chan’s cup over and spilled coffee on Minho. Hyunjin knew that Chan only ever got cold brews so he wasn’t worried. Instead he was delighted that in shock of his lap being flooded by cold coffee Minho flinched and ripped his hand of Mikyoung’s arm, a few chosen curses spilling from his lips. 

Hyunjin grabbed a few napkins from his tray and handed them over. “Here.”

“Thanks, you’re an angel, Hyunjin.” Minho used the napkins to soak up the majority of the mess while Felix apologized profusely.

“Don’t worry about it, Lix. It’s fine, I’ll just see if I can find dry pants somewhere.”

“Try the lost and found box?”, Changbin suggested.

Minho grimaced. Janitor Park was a nice guy, always up for a joke, but he was still weird. “I suppose I don’t have a choice. See you later, pray for me.”

He scurried away and Hyunjin saw Mikyoung in the corner of his eye blush and turn away. Minho’s coffee-drenched pants really didn’t leave much to the imagination. It was cute how shy she got.

But now since Minho was gone it was Hyunjin’s chance. “Hey, Mikyoung, do you already have a partner for the chemistry lab? If not, wanna team up?”

“Oh! I’m sorry Hyunjin, I would love to be your partner, but I already promised Jihyae that I’d work with her.”

“Oh well, no worries, I’ll find someone.”

He looked around the circle of faces around their table but everyone shook their heads.

“You gotta be faster, man. The lab is already after the break, of course we all have a partner already!” Jisung hit Hyunjin’s shoulder with more force than necessary.

Hyunjin hid his face in his hands with a groan. With his luck he’d end up with the biggest loser.

“I think Minho doesn’t have a partner yet but you’ll have to ask him, I’m not sure.” Chan was of course up to date with what everyone did because he was a mother hen.

That sounded a lot better. Chemistry wasn’t Minho’s strong suit but they’d be able to work it out together, Minho was someone Hyunjin could work with.

  
  


As it turned out when Minho showed up dressed in purple sweatpants, the bottom of his white school shirt still stained brown, which launched Felix into another row of apologies, that Minho did indeed not have a partner and happily agreed to be Hyunjin’s partner. So they both wouldn’t have to work with losers. 

Seungmin appeared in front of them, stress written all over his face. “Movie club meeting after school, very important.”

And before anyone could ask why or even where the meeting would take place he was gone again.

“Seems to be important.” Minho watched Seungmin’s retreating back with raised eyebrows. 

“Damn it. I wanted to meet with Hongjoong today to teach him how the sound system works for their gig later this week.” Chan also watched Seungmin, storm clouds over his face.

“Hyung, please, Hongjoong is a genius with everything even remotely concerning music. He’ll be fine.” Changbin slapped Chan on the back good-naturedly.

“I think I should better go find him now. See you in class, guys!” Chan left, his bag slung over his shoulder, striding through the cafeteria like he owned the place. Judging by the way heads turned in his direction he did.

Chemistry was mostly uneventful, Hyunjin was even able to fit in a bit of staring at Mikyoung, even though Minho was constantly bugging him to concentrate. Well, it wasn’t Hyunjin’s fault that Mikyoung was so beautiful. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is big.” Seungmin braced his hands on the table and looked at everyone, one after the other, to make sure he had their attention. “We’re qualified for the state-wide film competition.”

Changbin takes a deep breath and takes Seungmin’s hands, a look of pity on his face. “I know this is hard for you, but we didn’t make the cut, remember?”

Seungmin glared at Changbin and pulled his hands back. “ _I know_. But another club was disqualified for whatever reason and we got their spot.”

It stayed silent for a split second before happy chaos broke loose. Seungmin actually had to get the megaphone to call them to order.

“We need all hands on deck for this because we’re entering the competition two weeks late and only have half as much time as everyone else. They’re sending us equipment, a camera, a microphone system and a few lights. 

“Hyunjin, Chan, Jisung, I’ll let you know as soon as we have them. I’m currently trying to get Director Kim to give us a few days off maybe because we’re really pressed for time.

“Felix, I already got started on the script, we’ll have to finish it in two or three days, I hope you have no plans, if you do you’ll have to cancel them.

“Changbin, we’ll let you know what set we need as soon as possible, maybe we can use a few locations around so you wouldn’t have to build as much.

“Minho, Jeongin and Mikyoung, you’ll have to learn the lines very quickly, I’m so sorry for that, we’ll send you every part of the script we’ve finished so you can start as soon as possible.

“Is everybody on board?”

A resounding “YES” was the answer.

“Great. Felix, script, now. Everyone else, if you have any ideas, message me or Felix because we’ll have to write a whole script from scratch in like two days.”

Truth be told, they didn’t see much of Seungmin and Felix over the next few days but that was to be expected. There wasn’t much they could do to prepare without a script so they had no choice but to wait. Director Kim was actually persuaded to give them a full week off to make up for the time they were missing and as soon as the script was finished the movie club turned into the busy bees club.

Minho, Jeongin and Mikyoung had been learning along their lines already while the script was being written so shooting started soon. It was hell.

Hyunjin had to watch Minho flirt with Mikyoung the entire time because of course Seungmin and Felix had written a love story about Minho’s character helping Mikyoung’s character overcome the loss of her brother, Jeongin’s character, whose ghost was still following her. It was touching, heart-warming, and much to Hyunjin’s dismay required a lot of touching. Every time Minho's fingers grazed Mikyoung's arm he wanted to gnarl his teeth and every time Minho said something that made Mikyoung throw back her head in laughter - both in and out of character - Hyunjin wanted to tear his hair out. 

He didn't really blame her, he could see what she saw in Minho. Minho was absurdly handsome, smart, a fucking good human, a loyal friend (and therefore presumably a loyal lover) and he had a great sense of humor. Hyunjin understood, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. 

“Alright, cut!”, Seungmin called. “Good work everyone, let’s take a few minutes to breathe.” 

Mikyoung immediately asked to review the footage and Hyunjin was only too happy to show her. Minho and Jeongin joined them, speeding through some parts and watching the others carefully, pointing out mistakes and bumpy bits. Mikyoung was completely focused on the small screen and didn’t notice Minho scooting closer to her - but Hyunjin did. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do without causing a scene. Minho scooted closer and closer and suddenly Hyunjin wasn’t included in the conversation anymore and had to watch Minho smile and brush his shoulder against Mikyoung’s. He had no way of contributing really because their words were quiet, so quiet Hyunjin could barely hear them let alone understand them.

“It’s frustrating, hm?” Hyunjin needed a second to realize that Jeongin was talking to him.

“What is? That we have so little time? Yeah, it is.”

“No. Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant.” Jeongin’s gaze trailed to Minho and Mikyoung. “I meant seeing the one you love so close with another.”

Hyunjin spluttered in surprise. “Wh- lo- Jeongin, what are you talking about?”

Jeongin smiled a small, sad smile. “You don’t have to deny it, hyung. I can see how you look at them. I mean, you’re not exactly making a secret out of it.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Hyunjin felt his face get stony as he locked up.

He knew that Jeongin saw it. “You know exactly what I mean, you’re just not ready to admit it yet.” And before Hyunjin could say anything Jeongin jumped up from his seat and went to bug a rather busy and stressed looking Seungmin.

They ended the day with their almost traditional little football game. It could hardly be called a game, they played rock, paper, scissors for who would be the keeper and the rest more or less lined up to take shots at goal alternatingly. Sometimes they tried to steal the ball from each other which had always been BamBam’s speciality but BamBam was in college and without him it wasn’t quite the same. 

Hyunjin in goal found himself face to face with Minho taking his aim. While Minho absolutely sucked at stealing the ball from someone else and keeping it when he had it he was a good striker. Hyunjin ducked slightly and altered his stance, hands ready at his sides. Minho assessed the situation, the typical calculating look on his face as his eyes flitted to all four corners. Minho liked to play little mind games in these instances, and he knew that Hyunjin knew this. Minho’s eyes jumped to Hyunjin’s right and back. To the side and back to the center. And again.

“Come on, hyung, we’re not getting any younger!”, Changbin said.

And in that moment Minho smiled. It caught Hyunjin by surprise and he froze for a split second, only watching Minho take his run-up. When he finally clicked back into reality Minho’s foot had already almost hit the ball and Hyunjin didn’t have a lot of time to decide what he’d do. He instinctively jumped to the right, the corner Minho had eyed with so much interest before. But of course, as always, Minho was smarter than him. The ball went straight through the middle, flying over Hyunjin’s flailing feet easily and hitting twine with a soft thud.

“Oh, Panenka! Nice!”, Felix commented. Leave it to Felix to be familiar with football lingo. Hyunjin was pretty sure that apart from Felix nobody knew what that meant, not even Minho.

Felix clapped Minho on the back and Chan wrapped an arm around Minho’s shoulders, all three smiling as they made space for Jeongin to take his shot. Jeongin had a different idea. Instead of retrieving the ball he went over to Hyunjin who was still sitting in the grass in defeat.

“It’ll be fine.” Hyunjin looked up at Jeongin’s offered hand and took it, allowing Jeongin to pull him to his feet.

“Do you really think so? It’s clear who the better choice is and that it’s not me.”

“Don’t worry too much, hyung, you’ll get wrinkles.”

“Brat.” Hyunjin got into position.

Jeongin winked and got ready for his turn.

The next day Hyunjin discovered that Jeongin wasn’t exactly wrong with his tiny part of wisdom. (Where did that come from? He was the youngest for heaven’s sake!) The situation was extremely frustrating.

He had just arrived at school and gone to the kiosk to get milk for himself and Mikyoung. However, when he jumped down the stairs in his haste to get to the meeting room quickly and secure a spot next to Mikyoung he met Minho in the hallway. Holding two packets of milk.

Minho’s face lit up. “Hey, Hyunjin, you’re here.”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin pressed out between clenched teeth. “I have to hurry, I don’t want Mikyoung’s milk getting too warm.”

Minho’s face fell and Hyunjin didn’t know why. “O-oh. Mikyoung. Milk. Yeah. I- I also got milk for- her.”

Hyunjin frowned when his usually so calm and collected hyung fumbled for words. What was up with Minho? He had been weird lately. Was this the way he got when he wanted to woo someone?

It was probably the most awkward thing that had ever happened to Hyunjin, they sat on either side of Mikyoung who did her best to keep face when presented with two bags of milk.

Luckily Seungmin commanded all their attention, outlining the schedule for the day, mentioning scenes that had to be re-shot and updating the actors on minor line changes as he and Felix were still half in the process of editing the script.

“You gonna drink that?” Jeongin nodded to the bag of milk that sat forgotten in Hyunjin’s hand.

“Huh?”

Jeongin didn’t dignify him with an answer and just grabbed the bag out of Hyunjin’s hand and drank the milk himself. Hyunjin chose to not protest. He didn’t want to direct unnecessary attention to the situation.

It happened when they were finally shooting the last scene: Minho’s character and Mikyoung’s character holding hands and watching the sunset while Jeongin’s ghost character waved goodbye and disappeared, done with haunting his sister now that she was happy and moving on. (Yes, it was a cheesy story. Nobody ever said otherwise, not even Seungmin and Felix tried to protect their work from such comments.)

Jeongin was walking backwards, a hand raised in parting, a smile on his face as he watched his pretend sister. Mikyoung didn’t look at him but at Minho instead, softly smiling while Minho wore a look of deep admiration that made Hyunjin’s heart sting. Why Mikyoung? Why did it have to be Mikyoung? Why couldn’t Minho have set his sight on anyone else?

Hyunjin clenched his teeth and held the camera steady. 

Minho reached out for Mikyoung’s hand and Hyunjin snapped. He just about remembered not to actually let go of the camera but dropped his hand while keeping a tight grip as he rushed forward.

He rushed forward and grabbed Minho’s wrist, pulling it away from Mikyoung and closer to himself. Their tiny set had been quiet before, they had been shooting after all, but in that moment it became eerily silent and Hyunjin was sure that everyone could hear his heart beating quickly and his breath coming raggedly, as if he had just run a marathon. Nobody even said a word.

Hyunjin didn’t want to but his head moved on its own accord, eyes searching to find Minho’s. There was so much emotion on Minho’s face that Hyunjin couldn’t even begin to read all of it. But the most prominent one was confusion.

“H- Hyunjin?” Minho’s careful whisper broke the spell and Hyunjin let go as if he had been burned by Minho’s skin.

“I- I’m sorry. I need a minute.” He took care in setting the camera down but then stormed of carelessly and aimlessly, barely hearing Seungmin shout something about lighting and the sun going down and Chan lovingly calling Seungmin an insensitive slave driver.

Hyunjin was running, but that was about the only thing he knew. He didn’t know why, he didn’t know where. He didn’t know what had happened. What _had_ happened?

He slowed down. What had happened? Where had everything gone wrong?

Footsteps approached behind him, slowing from a sprint to a slow jog to walking speed.

“Go away, Jeongin. I’ll be right back. I just need to think for a few seconds.”

“I’m not Jeongin. I would offer to get him for you but since you just told him to go away I doubt that that’s what you want.” It was Minho.

“Hyung!” Hyunjin whipped around, mortification finally getting through the fog around his mind and warming his ears and cheeks.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Minho didn’t really seem to be paying attention to his words and scanned Hyunjin’s face instead, searching for something. Hyunjin had no idea what Minho was looking for.

“I’m sorry for interrupting the shoot, hyung. I don’t know what came over me.”

Minho skipped right over Hyunjin’s apology, taking a step closer and still searching Hyunjin’s face.

“I thought you liked her.”

“I do. I’m sorry hyung, I know you like her too.” At this point there was no use in trying to hide it.

“I thought you liked _her_ ,” Minho repeated, came even closer and took a stuttering breath, his eyes never leaving Hyunjin’s. “But you grabbed _my_ hand. It makes no sense.”

Hyunjin closed his eyes to escape Minho’s intense gaze that sent shivers down his spine but that didn’t really help because he could practically feel Minho’s eyes on him. “Yes. It makes no sense. I don’t know why I did that either.”

“Explain it to me, Hyunjin, please. Don’t let me hope when it’s all an accident in the end.”

“I told you, I don’t know-” Hyunjin’s eyes snapped open. Wait, what? First of all, this was Minho. Since when did Minho beg? Lee Minho didn’t beg, never. Apart from the fact that he just had. And second, why was he talking about hope?

“Now you’re the one not making sense, hyung.” 

Finally Minho looked away, their postions reversed as Hyunjin was now the one trying to find out what was happening. “Well, it’s complicated, I guess.”

“I’m all ears.”

Minho huffed, his eyes trailing their surroundings as if he was looking for a hole to hide in.

“I just-”, he started. “It’s-” Minho bit his lip, seemingly unable to form a complete sentence.

“Come on, hyung, you can tell me everything, you know that.”

Minho took a deep breath. Apparently he had come to a decision. “You asked for this.”

And before Hyunjin could ask what the hell Minho was talking about Minho had come close enough to touch, and his lips were on Hyunjin’s.

Hyunjin froze. He was pretty sure his heart had stopped beating. His breath had definitely caught in his chest.

Minho took a small step back, his hands still cradling Hyunjin’s jaw but his grip was so soft that Hyunjin could have easily shaken it off if he tried but he remained completely frozen, rooted to the spot.

“That’s why I want you to not let me hope. I’m not stupid, I know you like her and she’s a great choice. Don’t let me hope, Hyunjin. I wish I could just get rid of my feelings because I know you don’t feel the same and I won’t force myself onto you. But to get over you I need to stop hoping. Don’t let me hope.” And with that Minho let go, the remnants of his touch burning into Hyunjin’s bones, and left.

Hyunjin couldn’t even think about moving. That was… He didn’t know what that was. Minho had kissed him and then begged Hyunjin to not let him hope. Hope for what? For Hyunjin to return Minho’s obviously romantic feelings? Since when was Minho gay anyways? Hyunjin stayed right there, between the basketball court and a trash can, thoughts screaming in his head.

The sun had long gone down when Jeongin found him.

“Hey, hyung.” Jeongin’s voice was gentle, just like his grip around Hyunjin’s hand as he pulled Hyunjin in the direction of the building. “Come on, it’s late, let’s get you home. Seungmin’s pissed, but we can deal with that tomorrow, okay? Probably a better idea anyways because he’ll have time to calm down.” 

Everything, including the ride in Chan’s car and his night routine, passed in a haze. Hyunjin’s mother had to call his name seven times for him to realize that dinner was served even though he had been sitting at the dining table the entire time.

When Hyunjin returned to school the next morning Minho wouldn’t meet his eyes and Hyunjin felt _awful_. Mikyoung was going back and forth between them with comforting words, trying to make sure they were okay and trying to make sense out of the change in their behaviours. Hyunjin wasn’t actively trying to get her attention anymore but Minho wasn’t talking to her at all. When she asked him a question he responded with non-committal sounds and didn’t look at her either, the same way he wouldn’t look at Hyunjin. 

At lunch Mikyoung had enough and cornered Hyunjin. “What have you done to Minho? What did you say to him? I swear, if you break his heart…” She didn’t finish the sentence but Hyunjin felt threatened enough as it was.

“I didn’t do anything! I just stood there, I told him that he could tell me anything, and then… then he kissed me. Kissed me! Like, real life, literally. Why are you accusing me? I fact, he was the one who asked me not to make him hope and then just _left_.”

Mikyoung looked at him for a second longer before she chuckled. “Oh, Hyunjin. How about you use your powers of observation from time to time?”

“What is there to observe? He obviously has a very gay crush on me but at least he knows that that’s never going to happen.”

“Why will it never happen?” Mikyoung tilted her head.

“Because it’s gay!” Annoyance and tension rose in Hyunjin’s chest.

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black, Hyunjin.”

The tension dissipated in confusion, just like that. “What?”

“Okay, since you’re apparently blind, I’ll tell you what I can see. I don’t know if you’re straight or bi or gay but you’re _so_ gay for Minho. You constantly stare at him, and when you see him your face lights up, it’s actually really cute.”

“Wh- no! I’m staring at you! I like you, Mikyoung.” Hyunjin bit his lip. Damn, that was not how he had wanted to tell her.

Mikyoung smiled. “That’s what I thought at first too. I was already thinking about how I could let you down gently with as little heartbreak and embarrassement as possible when I realized that it wasn’t me. It was Minho all along. I was just there too because he’s my best friend but I wasn’t the one you’re looking at.”

Hyunjin took a while to process what she had just said. Him liking Minho? No, that was ridiculous. He was straight, he liked Mikyoung. Mikyoung who had just indirectly turned him down. And he felt nothing.

“Wait. So you just told me that you don’t like me back?”

“Yeah.” Mikyoung nodded. “You’re very deep in the friendzone.”

“Okay.”

“How do you feel about that?” It was as if she was rubbing it in his face.

“Okay.”

“Not sad? Disappointed? Embarrassed?”

He gritted his teeth. Now was not the time to lie to keep face. “No. I’m fine with it.”

Mikyoung beamed at him. “See, it’s not me you like. Minho doesn’t like me either. Go talk to him.”

“But… he brought you milk!”

Mikyoung actually snapped against his forehead. “That was for you, idiot! He was just too awkward to actually give it to you so my lactose intolerant ass ended up with two bags of milk which was fun.”

“Sorry.” He lowered his head sheepishly.

“It’s okay. Go talk to Minho.”

Hyunjin took a deep breath. She was right. Even if no change resulted from it, they needed to clear the air. “I’ll go do that.”

Mikyoung watched him leave with a smile.

Hyunjin was already almost at the movie club’s room when he realized he had no idea what to say. In a flash of wit he turned around and stopped by the kiosk.

It was like a deja-vu, entering the room with two bags of milk in his hands, his thoughts in turmoil because of Minho even though Mikyoung had helped him clear the chaos a little.

Minho had stayed in the room during lunch, still smaller than usual after Seungmin’s stern lecture he and Hyunjin had gotten. He didn’t even look up from where he was staring blankly at the table when Hyunjin pulled out a chair next to him. Only when Hyunjin slid the milk across the table did he move and instantly shrunk away from Hyunjin, evading Hyunjin’s gaze.

“For you.” Wow, smooth, Hyunjin, well done.

“What part of “don’t let me hope” was so difficult to understand?” Minho sounded tired.

“I…” Hyunjin thought about it for a second. “I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on but please don’t lose hope. I don’t like Mikyoung.”

This time it was a lot easier to bear as Minho searched him. After what seemed like hours Minho grabbed the milk. “Thanks.”

And as Minho speared the small bag with his straw Hyunjin knew that they’d be okay.

  
  


Later that day they were in the same location as the day before, trying to shoot the scene again after their camera man and one of their actors had been gone.

Mikyoung smiled brightly when Hyunjin and Minho arrived together, both still the target of dirty gazes from Seungmin.

They set everything up and were about to shoot when Hyunjin lowered the camera and stepped forward, like last time. This time he kissed Minho on the cheek. “For good luck.”

“You guys are so cute!”, Mikyoung squealed.

Confusion was about to break loose when Seungmin cut in. “No! Not now, later. We need to shoot this scene now before the sun is gone so reign yourselves in or I’m throwing all of you out of the club.”

They all knew that it was an empty threat but it was effective nonetheless. 

  
  


Weeks later, when they finished third in the competition, Minho kissed Hyunjin for the first time since that confusing confession and Hyunjin couldn't have been happier about it.

**Author's Note:**

> Mikyoung is named after my teacher.  
> The janitor is JYP, did anyone notice  
> Also my football phase did have an advantage after all because I actually know what a Panenka is whooo


End file.
